WSU gets airborne
Researchers from the Aging Aircraft Lab at Wichita State
University’s (WSU) National Institute for Aviation Research
(NIAR) are accustomed to seeing KC-135 Stratotankers in
pieces, but rarely see them intact, or actually fly on them.
Recently they had the opportunity to do just that, thanks
to McConnell Air Force Bases’s’s 22nd Air Refueling Wing.
They also had the chance to tour the base and talk with
maintenance personnel. “The flight was a great experi-
ence, but I really enjoyed talking with the maintenance
and inspection staff,” said Aging Aircraft Lab Manager
Melinda Laubach. “We hope to collaborate with them in
the future.”
Before boarding the 160-ton aircraft, the NIAR/WSU
staff received a mission briefing and background pre-
sentation from 22nd Air Refueling Wing Commander Col
James W Crowhurst. During the flight, the staff was able
to witness the landing, takeoff and refueling maneuver
from the cockpit boom control pod.
NIAR executive director Dr John Tomblin, who was recently appointed as honorary commander of the 22nd Air Refueling
Wing, arranged the tour and flight with Sharon Hamric, 22nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs community relations chief. “I
appreciate the willingness of Col Crowhurst, Sharon and the crew to coordinate this mission,” he said. “It gave our technicians
the opportunity to witness first-hand the reason why they are doing what they are doing.”
In addition to Laubach and Tomblin, those on the flight included WSU provost Dr Gary Miller; associate provost Dr. David
McDonald; NIAR executive staff Tracee Friess, Gabrielle Dodosh and Toni Buttner; and aging aircraft staff Patty Howard,
Jonathan Mowrey, Thad Colling, Michael Knee, Carla Friend, Robert Friess, Richard Schwasinger, David Howard and Cody
Patterson.
Through a contract from Valdez International, the Aging Aircraft Lab is currently using traditional structural teardown exami-
nation methods including large scale section extraction, detailed disassembly, chemical coatings removal and non-destructive
inspection (NDI) to assist in the assessment of the Air Force’s KC-135 fleet.
Wencor acquires Boone
Wencor has announced its purchase of certain assets of Boone Air Parts Inc from a California Assignee. Wencor
will use the assets to begin a new company that will carry the same name, Boone Air Parts, but will be operated
as a Utah Corporation and subsidiary to Wencor. These changes, effective immediately, will assure financial and
operational stability for suppliers and customers.
Boone Air Parts is a leading worldwide distributor of domestic and foreign aircraft parts, representing over 30
manufacturing part companies, specializing in Airbus and ATR mechanical and electrical components. They also
have a broad offering of expendable parts for Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, and Eurocopter.
Boone Air Parts’s service and support to customers will be further strengthened by Wencor’s extensive aerospace
MRO experience. Boone Air Parts’ mission is to meet customer’s requirements in a consistent fashion by provid-
ing the highest quality parts and service in the industry. The quality system at Boone Air Parts is compliant with
ISO9001:2000, ASA 9120 quality standards and FAA00-56A Advisory
6 Aviation Maintenance |
avmain-mag.com | December 2009/January 2010
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